


Small Comfort

by karathegoddess



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age Inquisition - Fandom
Genre: Clan Lavellan - Freeform, Clan Lavellan Slaughtered, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-War Table Operation: Protect Clan Lavellan (Dragon Age), War Table Operation: Protect Clan Lavellan (Dragon Age) - Failure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22911478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karathegoddess/pseuds/karathegoddess
Summary: Azaria Lavellan is crushed with mourning and guilt when the results of the War Table mission to protect her clan is revealed. Cullen does his best to comfort the elf.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Lavellan & Cullen Rutherford
Kudos: 14





	Small Comfort

Azaria Lavellan studied her opponents with rigger. She knew Sera was bluffing, it didn’t help she couldn’t seem to lie without releasing a string of giggles. Blackwall had already folded. It was Iron Bull’s turn. He too folded, mumbling about how Azaria only paid him so she could steal back his money. Varric studied his hand then looked up at the Inquisitor’s blank face. He looked back to his hand and sighed.   
“Alright, Your Inquisitorialness, you win, I’m out.” Varric folded. Azaria smirked deviously revealing her hand as she took the large amount of spoils. Iron Bull practically ripped the cards out of the elf’s hand to examine them more closely. Then showed it to Varric. “A pair of twos! You won with a measly pair of twos!” He yelled, but there was only a playful malice to it. Iron Bull and Blackwall chuckled as Sera pouted. Azaria laughed and promised the next round was on her. Of course, she neglected to tell them it was with their own money really. The two warriors stood up to collect drinks as Varric began to collect the cards and reshuffle.   
To everyone’s surprise, Leliana walked in the Tavern towards the Inquisitor. Azaria grew concerned for a moment, hoping she hadn’t accidently antagonised Leliana the wrong way with whatever quip had fallen out of her mouth earlier in the war room. Sera feared she was going to be scolded for more pranks and hurried off to find Blackwall. But Leliana’s expression wasn’t angry. In fact, it was soft, sad. Azaria only saw twice before; once when Leliana had revealed how hard Divine Justinia’s death had hit her. And the other time after Haven.   
Leliana approached the Inquisitor and reached out to hand her what looked to be a bibbed of parchment. Azaria cautiously accepted it.   
“What makes this so different from the stack overflowing on my desk?” Azaria joked. Leliana’s strange demeanor now had Varric’s attention. Leliana didn’t respond. Azaria rolled her eyes and unfolded it. The spymaster and rouge watched her eyes scan the page. Varric watched as the large grin on her face faded the more she read.   
“Zee?” He asked in concern.   
“I’m so sorry, Inquisitor-” Azaria stood so abruptly the chair fell with a thunk cutting Leliana off. She clutched the letter and walked out of the tavern without another word.   
Once the cool night breeze hit Azaria’s hot cheeks and she was out of sight, she broke into a run. She sprinted to her room and slammed the door closed. She placed the letter delicately on the bed and put her hands on her hips, unsure how to let out the emotions that were building up inside her.   
Da’len, I know not whether this will reach you.   
Azaria flipped over the couch.   
The Duke of Wycome is dead and the soldiers of Wycome blame us.   
Azaria tore apart a pillow.   
All the elves in the city have been killed, blamed for some plague that only strikes down humans.   
Azaria took a few swigs of some sickly sweet wine she had planned to drink with Cullen. She pulled back her arm and threw the bottle the wall with all of her might. The door might have creaked opened, but it was background noise. Right now nothing mattered except that all her friends and family, the only life she had ever known was gone.   
Now they hunt us as well.   
Slaughtered like animals. Her keeper, her siblings, her friends. Because of her, they were killed. Azaria stalked across the room toward her desk.   
Most of the Clan is already dead.   
Azaria screamed and swept her hand across knocking all of her papers, parchment, books, and inkwells to the floor with a variety of crashes, shatters and thuds. She sunk down to the floor feeling hot tears sliding down her cheeks. Cullen was standing at the stop of the stairs. His expression was soft and sympathetic. He walked over and kneeled down gently pulling the sobbing elf towards his chest.   
After some time, her shoulders stopped shaking, but he continued to hold her. Cullen felt so helpless, if she could take any comfort of being in his arms, he’d allow them to go numb if he had to. If the Commander could, he’d send a whole troop to kill the perpetrators. When he recalled the few weeks prior, she had suggested she might visit her clan. Maker, if she had been there when- Cullen held her tighter. Cullen heard a small hiss of pain and immediately released his embrace. He saw her hand with a large piece of glass. For a moment he was terrified infection had already set and that was why her blood was so unnaturally dark, until he realized it was ink, the shards from a fancy antivian inkwell. Cullen sat her down on the edge of the bed. Then carefully extracted the glass, apologizing the entire time.   
“Shit.” She said, scaring Cullen half to death.   
“I’m so sorry, did I hurt-”  
“No, no, Josie gave me that inkwell.” She frowned. Leliana had told Cullen the contents of the letter. She was mourning and still managed to be more worried about someone else's feelings. He poured some alcohol on the wound to clean it and then carefully wrapped it up and tied it off. Azaria leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Cullen. She pressed her face in his neck. When she backed up, Cullen cupped her cheek in his hand.   
“What do you need?”   
“I don’t want anyone else to see me like this, but I also don’t want to be alone.” Her throat tightened as she spoke. Cullen wrapped his arms around her and leaned back.   
“Then I’m not going anywhere.”


End file.
